


once upon a time in a life long gone

by suneye



Series: shadowhunters wlw bingo 2019 [4]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Canon Divergence - Clary and Maia Fall in Love Instead, Canon Divergence - Everyone Doesn't Treat Maia Like Crap, Established Relationship, F/F, Flashbacks, Flirting, Fluff, Happy Ending, Mild Sexual Content, Reunions, Sappiness, past relationship, vengeance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-14
Updated: 2019-08-14
Packaged: 2020-08-23 17:37:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,236
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20246701
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/suneye/pseuds/suneye
Summary: The chance for closure and all those unspoken words and the cure for all of Maia’s loneliness is standing just outside the door - and she doesn’t have a clue who Maia is





	once upon a time in a life long gone

**Author's Note:**

> another bingo entry for team orange! prompt was "canon divergence" so i did...this. because apparently i'm obsessed with this concept LOL
> 
> warnings for: mentions of food, brief (mostly-implied) sexual content, non-graphic mentions of blood and mild injuries

The impossible happens during dinner rush.

Maia’s just grabbed the order for table seven and is maneuvering her way across the crowded floor towards them when the bell above the entrance rings, drawing her attention to the door and the new customer.

At first, she ignores when her heart leaps at the sight of long red hair - it’s been doing that all the time for the past year, constantly yearning for the impossible. After a while, it became easier to ignore it.

But when the woman turns and their eyes lock, it’s not possible to ignore it anymore.

Maia doesn’t realize she’s dropped her tray until until everyone’s - including Clary’s - eyes fall on the broken plates at her feet. Maia shakes herself out of her daze just as Clary starts towards her, probably to help her clean up but also looking like she wants to say something. Maia doesn’t think she can handle that right now. Actually, she  _ knows  _ she can’t handle that.

She steps over the mess she’s made and bolts into the kitchen and through it to the storage room.

"Wait!" Clary calls after her. "You-"

But Maia doesn't stop until the door swings shut behind her, muffling the sounds of her busy diner and putting a physical barrier between her and her latest heartbreak.

*

_ They’re taking shelter from a storm on the doorstep of a convenience store, waiting for the rain to let up so they can walk back to the Institute or the Jade Wolf, when Maia just can’t hold it in anymore. _

_ They have to wait because Clary’s covered in blood and ichor and weapons and Maia has a cut on her lip and a tear in her pants leg, so a cab probably isn’t the best idea. One of the demons broke Clary’s stele too, so if they want a portal, they’re going to have to call someone else.  _ _ But neither of them have done that. Maybe because they’re trying to be considerate and not bother anyone else. Maybe because with how busy the past few weeks have been, this is the first chance they’ve gotten to be  _ alone  _ together in days. Even if it’s under pouring rain after a demon attack. _

_ Clary sighs. “Sorry about my stele. I could’ve portalled us back to your place and we could be cuddling by the window sipping hot chocolate by now.” _

_ “A, I don’t have any hot chocolate at home. And B, inviting yourself over to my place now, are you?” Maia teases. _

_ “Well, I do have a key.” _

_ Clary steps closer and smiles knowingly as she says that, her face mere inches from Maia’s. She’s completely drenched in rainwater but she looks beautiful: cheeks flushed, blouse clinging wetly to skin, raindrops on her eyelashes. _

_ Maia closes the space between them by pressing her forehead gently against Clary’s. They both close their eyes. Maia takes a moment to savour the moment. The warmth that flows through her when her skin touches Clary’s. The way Clary holds her like she’s the most precious thing in the world. How safe and content she feels when it’s nothing but the two of them and the rain and the silent promise of happiness. _

_ Maia says, “I love you.” _

_ Clary’s breath hitches. They open their eyes at the same time and look at each other for a long moment. _

_ “You do?” Clary asks in a small, shaky voice, like she can’t bring herself to believe it. In case it’s not true. _

_ Maia reaches up to cup Clary’s face with both hands. “I do,” she says again. “I love you.” _

_ Clary sniffles, overcome with emotion. “I love you, too,” she whispers as tears well up in her eyes. She places a hand over the one Maia has on her left cheek and begins to lean in for the kiss that they both feel should follow to seal the deal. _

_ At the last second, she pulls away. _

_ “This is so cliche!” _

_ Maia laughs. “What?” _

_ “Kissing in the rain after saying ‘I love you’, I mean,” Clary says. “That’s, like, the oldest trope in the history of tropes.” _

_ “We’re not  _ in  _ the rain,” Maia reminds her, gesturing up at the little roof above them. _

_ “That’s even worse! It’s right there and we’re not taking advantage of the moment.” _

_ Maia laughs, shaking her head, and cups Clary’s face in both of her palms. “Can you make up your mind so I can just kiss you already?” _

_ In reply, Clary simply steps forwards and crashes their lips together before throwing her arms around Maia and burying her blush in her shoulder. They hold each other for a long time, laughter slowly dying out as the rain does the same, but the happiness never fading. _

_ “I love you,” Clary whispers, and it already sounds so natural Maia feels her heart flutter. _

_ “I love you, too.” _

*

Maia’s crying in the back.

Bat tells the new waiter to keep the Clary girl busy and unsuspecting and escapes to the storage room as quickly as he can to see Maia sitting on a crate with her head in her hands, shoulders shaking and muffled sobs echoing.

“Hey,” he says softly. “Are you okay?”

_ Stupid question. _ She nods anyway. After a moment, she raises her head and wipes away her tears and smudged mascara with the back of her palm. He hands her a napkin from his apron to help in whatever little way he can.

“I’m fine,” Maia says in a voice that makes that hard to believe. “I just… Are you guys gonna be okay without me for a bit? I can’t go out there and face her when…” She gulps and purses her lips together. “I just need a minute .”

“It’s okay,” Bat says. “You stay here as long as you need to. I’ll take care of it.”

Maia nods shakily. Bat gently touches her knee as a show of support and goes back to work and to do as he promised. Maia immediately drops her head back into her hands and lets the rest of the tears out.

She can’t get the way Clary was looking at her out of her head. Her eyes had held none of the affection or gentleness or desire reserved for Maia.

They hadn’t even held  _ recognition _ .

Maia has lived the past year both yearning for and dreading this very moment. Life has gone on and so has Maia. She’s made so many new friends, realized so many dreams (some she didn’t even know she had), seen so much positive change befall the Downworld. And it’s all been wonderful.

But none of that changes the fact that this kind of heartbreak - the kind that’s sudden and cruel and leaves no room for closure - isn’t something you can get over by comparing it to all the good in your life.

And now the chance for closure and all those unspoken words and the cure for all of Maia’s loneliness is standing just outside the door.

And she doesn’t have a clue who Maia is.

*

_ Maia looks up from her assigned reading and there’s Clary, leaning against the doorframe in what can neither be described as pyjamas nor lingerie but is somehow both, smirking like she can read every thought that goes through Maia’s head at the sight of her. _

_ “I’m studying,” Maia says, already closing her textbook. “I don’t have time for whatever you have planned.” _

_ Raising an eyebrow in amusement, Clary crosses the room and climbs onto the bed beside her. Maia keeps their eyes locked together, even when from the corner of her eye she can see the lace ride up Clary’s thigh, can see one strap from her top fall loose from her shoulder. Clary all but crawls over to Maia, sitting close but not touching her, and sits there, exposed skin glowing in the dim light. _

_ “You can study,” she says very, very slowly. “I’m not distracting you, am I?” _

_ Maia stifles a grin in favour of a shrug. If Clary wants to be a tease, then so be it. “Not at all,” she says dismissively, reaching to open her book again. _

_ Her fingers have hardly touched the thing when Clary, with a huff of annoyance, picks it and throws it over the side of the bed before climbing into Maia’s lap. _

_ “How about now?” _

_ Maia raises an eyebrow as her hands, almost of their own accord, trail gently up Clary’s legs. “If I fail accounting, I’m blaming you.” _

_ Clary lets out a satisfied hum. “I’m sure I can find  _ some  _ way to make it up to you,” she says in a low voice. Maia never stood a chance. _

_ To prove her point, Clary leans in and captures Maia’s lips with hers, slow and deliberate only for a moment before desire and impatience get the better of her and she deepens the kiss. Maia follows suit, opening her mouth just enough to let Clary slide her tongue between her teeth. She grabs the hem of Clary’s shirt and pulls. Clary reluctantly breaks the kiss to rid herself of her top, then tugs at Maia’s t-shirt until that’s off too, and piece by piece the rest of their clothes come off, and soon their kisses from moments ago feel chaste in comparison. _

_ Maia doesn’t get much studying done that night. _

_ Afterwards, lying in bed in a comfortable silence with Clary’s arms around her, Maia whispers, “I don’t ever want this moment to end.” _

_ “Me, either,” Clary whispers back, leaning forward to gently kiss her neck. _

_ “I’m serious,” Maia says. “I can’t remember the last time I was this happy and…content.” _

_ Clary hums into her neck, just behind the scar that used to make her stomach turn when it was so much as touched by anyone. “Then I’m gonna make sure this moment never ends,” she says. “And if it does, I’m gonna make sure every moment after this is happier than the last.” _

_ “You’re so corny,” Maia laughs, turning around in her arms to kiss her. _

_ “I am,” Clary says proudly. “And you love me.” _

_ “I do,” Maia says. “And you love me, too.” _

_ “I do,” Clary says. “Forever.” _

*

Maia stands and wipes away what she can of her tears. She can’t hide back here and feel sorry for herself. That’s not  _ her _ . She owes herself - _and Clary_ \- better than that.

Isn’t that the funniest part? That she owes Clary better than to run away from her without answers - but she also owes Clary the safety simplicity her new life provides?  The reason none of them got involved when she left was to protect her - in her letters, she’d begged them not to follow her, thinking her fate inevitable, and they had known that if they tried to interfere with Raziel’s punishment, she would be the one to suffer the consequences. So those of them who didn’t know her in her past life (and those of them who were supposed to be dead) had done their best to leave her alone.

And at the first opportunity, she’s waltzed back into Maia’s life demanding answers.

Maia sighs. She could call Luke, or Alec, or Izzy, or Magnus, or anyone else who will know what to do. She could go out there and lie. She could go out there and tell the truth. She could stay here until she doesn’t have to make a decision anymore.

No. She’s not going to do that. She’s going to go back to running her restaurant - back to her life. And send Clary back to hers.

At least, it will give her a chance to see Clary again. And maybe the lack of recognition in Clary’s eyes will give her some incentive to move on.  _ Really  _ move on this time.

Before she can reach for the door, it flies open and Clary bursts in.

Maia almost leaps back in shock. Bat runs in a second later with an apologetic look on his face. He turns to ask Clary to leave, but Maia has made her decision: she tells him she’ll handle it herself. Bat doesn’t look like he loves the idea, but he nods and leaves them in their tense silence.

“Hey…” Clary says awkwardly after a few moments.

“Hi,” Maia says. “Is there something I can-”

“I know you, don’t I?” Clary interrupts. “Your name is Maia, right?”

Maia gulps. She knows she’s not wearing a nametag (she doesn’t need to - everyone around here knows who she is), and her name isn’t exactly plastered around the diner. So either Clary asked around or…

Actually, Maia can’t let her mind go there right now. If -  _ when  _ \- she turns out to be wrong, the disappointment is going to be crushing.

“Maia,” Clary says again; the name rolls off her tongue more naturally this time, almost like old times. “I’m… This is going to sound crazy, but… those guys out there with the tattoos, and that lady with the funny ears, they’re… _ real _ , aren’t they? I mean, I’m not imagining things, right?”

“You can see them?” Maia blurts out without thinking. Of course Clary’s regained the sight, despite the angels’ best efforts.  _ Of course _ she has. How did Maia ever doubt her?

“Uh, yeah, they’re, like, super jacked, kinda hard to miss,” Clary laughs nervously. “So, I’m not imagining them, then?”

“No,” Maia says in a small voice. “No, you’re not.”

“Then I’m not imagining that I’ve been here before, either, am I?” Clary asks, taking a step closer. “That this place feels like _home_? Or that I know you? And that you know me?”

Maia shakes her head. “Nope.”

“Okay,” Clary laughs, a little wildly, and suddenly unsure of what to do with her hands. “Wow, this is…impossible. Holy crap, I… I have a lot of questions, for starters.”

_ So do I, _ Maia thinks,  _ and a lot of impossibles wishes that just came true. _

She gives Clary the smallest of hopeful smiles. “I have a lot of answers.”

*

_ Clary’s still talking to Luke when the slow dance starts. He looks up and sees Maia staring and waves her over. _

_ “Hey,” Maia greets, instantly sliding her hand into Clary’s. “May I borrow my girlfriend?” _

_ “Take good care of her,” Luke says with a kind smile directed at both of them. He squeezes Maia’s shoulder before he walks away, leaving them alone on the dancefloor. _

_ “May I have this dance?” Maia asks, offering her hand. _

_ “You certainly may,” Clary accepts her hand and pulls her close, hand immediately coming to rest on Maia’s waist as she rests her head against Maia’s shoulder. She feels a little stiff in Maia’s arms. Tense. When she exhales into Maia’s embrace, she shakes a little. _

_ Maia frowns, pulling away to look at her. “Baby, are you okay?” she asks. _

_ “Yeah!” Clary nods quickly. “Just…emotional, I guess. Sentimental.” She steps back into the embrace and starts to sway to the music. Maia goes along with it. _

_ “I’m feeling pretty emotional too, for a lot of reasons,” Maia admits. “I really think change is on the way. Big change. The kind that’s gonna make the Clave shit their pants. I’m gonna make sure of it.” _

_ “I know you will,” Clary says. “I always knew you were going to change the world one day.” _

_ “Oh, yeah?” _

_ “Yeah,” Clary lifts her head once more to give Maia a knowing smile. “You changed  _ my  _ world.” _

_ Maia can’t hold back the smile that tugs at her lips or the way her cheeks start to feel warm all of a sudden. “Hey, I was just returning the favour.” _

_ Clary laughs and lets Maia twirl her around before holding her close yet again. Maia looks around at the festivities and sighs. “This is such a beautiful wedding,” she says. _

_ “Yeah,” Clary agrees. “I’m happy for them.” _

_ “Me too. And you know what else?” _

_ “What?” _

_ “I think I want one.” _

_ Clary tilts her head to the side, confused. “One what?” _

_ “Wedding,” Maia says. “Eventually. Maybe. Not here, though.” _

_ Clary stills. The laughter slowly fades from her eyes. “With…” she whispers shakily. “With  _ me _ ?” _

_ “I mean, yeah?” Maia says, feeling suddenly self-conscious. She hopes she hasn’t killed the mood by being overeager. “Not right this second, obviously, but…we have been going out for a while, and we love each other. I wanna see where it goes. And if that’s the direction, then…yeah. I'd like that that. With you.” _

_ “I…” Clary looks about to cry. She swallows thickly and it’s her turn to hold Maia’s face in her hands. “We deserve that much, don’t we?” _

_ “Are you alright?” Maia asks again. _

_ Clary smiles, blinking away her tears. “Yeah,” she says again, less convincingly this time. “I just love you so much.” _

_ “I love you too.” _

_ Clary kisses her like she’s trying to memorize the curve of her lips. They both hesitate to pull away. _

_ “I, um,” Clary clears her throat and laughs. “I’m feeling a little overwhelmed. I’m gonna get some air. I’ll be right back.” _

_ “I’ll get you a drink,” Maia offers. _

_ But Clary’s already gone, and it takes Maia just a few minutes too long to realize she’s never coming back. _

*

Clary laughs in that way that lights up her whole face and hands the menu back to Maia. “I can’t believe you named a  _ salad  _ after me!”

“I was trying to be sweet!” Maia says. “Honour your legacy and all!”

It’s a few weeks after Clary unexpectedly walked back into her life and they’re sitting on Maia’s couch, discussing what’s changed and what’s remained the same from the things Clary remembers.

“Ah, yes, my restaurant order legacy,” Clary teases. “It is very sweet. But I can't say I wouldn't have preferred a gold statue in my honour.”

“You’ve been to Taki’s. Where the hell would I fit a gold statue?”

“Uh, your bedroom?” Clary says matter-of-factly.

It’s Maia’s turn to laugh. Clary joins in. Maia feels something warm settle over her at how _easy_ it still is to joke around with Clary, despite the time that was stolen from them.

“So,” Clary says more solemnly a moment later. “All that aside, what are we gonna do about…us?”

“I don’t know,” Maia admits. “We could pick up where we left off. We could start over. Or I guess we could…not do any of that.”

Clary nods thoughtfully. “I have to say, I hate that third option.”

Maia smiles a little. “Yeah, so do I.”

She wants to reach out and hold Clary’s hand in hers, but she stops herself. They don’t know what they are yet. It wouldn’t feel right to do it expecting for them both to feel what they did once upon a time.

“I have a proposal for an option four,” Clary says.

“I’m all ears.”

Clary smiles, even as her eyes darken. She leans closer to Maia. “I get my powers back, and then you and I make that son of a bitch regret ever coming between us.”

Well, Maia did always want to change the Shadow World. Even if even thinking about confronting an angel is rash and impulsive and could have disastrous consequences, no matter how many times she's imagined doing it. Even if there is going to be a different Clary by her side than the one she always imagined.

She brushes a stray strand of hair behind Clary’s ear and returns her smile.

“I think that sounds like a perfect second first date.”

**Author's Note:**

> i have to admit i'm not super happy with this one, but like everything else in this bingo event, it was a lot of fun and inspired me to write stuff i really enjoyed writing, so i'm not complaining <3 i hope you all enjoy this too, and don't forget to read the other amazing works by other authors who participated in the bingo!


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